Friday, August 19, 2011

Allow me to introduce my newest love - I adopted her recently from Natalie at Namaste Farms. She was a little barn kitten I met on a visit. She had been given lots of love from Nat's five kids and this precious little baby chose me to come live at my house. The kids had named her Java Bean so that had to remain but her full name is Karma Esperanza Java Bean Rosema.

The story of how she got her name gives a giggle still. In preparation for bringing her home, my husband and I picked up cat food, cat box and some new fangled litter. Louie (husband) had been kind of irritable all week and I was definitely getting a bit tired of the grouchies.

Anyway, we bring her home, she appears to be settling in well; however, she apparently did not like the new litter (it looked like hamster food pellets.) I hadn't seen this kind of litter before and apparently neither had she. Well, she proceeded to express her displeasure by pooping on Louie's side of the bed. Imagine me, howling laughter inside but serious on the outside, saying "Karma is the perfect name for her!" He had to clean up the mess and I still have a quiet internal giggle just thinking about how tough paybacks can be for a grouchy old man!

Needless to say, we immediately replaced the new fangled litter with something more conventional. Since that, she has been a perfect angel and has not had one single "slip of the cat box."

She has kept me laughing and entertained ever since she has arrived and is the most loving little rascal. I brought home a big bag of fleece from the farm and she proceeded to jump on top of it and make happy feet and then take a long nap. It must have smelled like home. Too sweet.

I've also been keeping the dye pots simmering as the weather has been perfect for drying fleeces outside. The colors are coming out great and the beauty of these Wensleydale wool and mohair fleeces is astounding - I'm also kettle dyeing skeins and skeins of handspuns. It is making me feel uber-productive!

Saturday, August 6, 2011

Finally, the testing and tickering with the new design have been completed and a brand new baby has been delivered at SpinOlution! This wheel is a bobbin-led wheel with the unique orifice set-up and pegs characteristic of SpinOlution wheels. Changing bobbins are a dream. Treadling is wonderful and the yarns you can produce are amazing. I can do everything on this wheel that I could do on the Mach III and it is easier to change drive band as well.

Here are a few new photos of the Wind, just contact me or SpinOlution for more information about this beauty!

About Me

My early years were spent in the redwoods of Northern California. I come from a long tradition of gifted artists and needlewomen, so my love of fibery things comes naturally. Part of my childhood was spent on a farm where my favorite animals were the sheep, of course! I have always sort of made things up as I went along, a born designer I suppose.
Over the years, I've enjoyed teaching a range of fiberarts ranging from quilting, spinning, dyeing, knitting and crocheting as well as millinery techniques through Parks and Recreation, junior colleges and upscale yarn shops. This continues to be my greatest joy.